Syria is an Ally of the United States in War on Terror

According to a BBC article, Syria allowed the CIA to house kidnapped people the U.S. suspected of terrorism. They also allowed them to use "enhanced interrogation techniques," said Dick Marty, a Swiss politician investigating the whole extraordinary rendition program for a European human rights group.

Syria's assistance in the War on Terror is not something new. But this information, if true, shows that their level of involvement and cooperation is a lot higher than we have been led to believe.

Also, it poses an interesting contrast to the rhetoric of this Administration, which has been very negative regarding Syria.

Click on the title to this post to see the BBC article.

Extraordinary Renditions

Germany has issued arrest warrants for 13 CIA operatives. It seems they kidnapped a German citizen, flew him to Afghanistan, and interrogated him. The victim claims he was tortured. The Secretary of State has allegedly apologized for the incident since it was mistaken identity.

Imagine that. The wrong guy.

Can we go one step further and say that the same thinking that led to kidnapping the wrong people on foreign soil may have led to the wrong people being interrogated elsewhere?

The issue is systemic. The thinking is endemic. "Everything has changed since September 11." Not our allies, it seems. Not the legal structure of the world. Not the need to communicate with others about our intentions in a bid to get their cooperation.

Just as Russia can't kill on foreign soil and get away without consequences, the U.S. can't kidnap people and interrogate them in other countries. Maybe this is all just leftover Cold War ego.